


New Beginnings

by WritingforTheAvengers



Series: Love rain [6]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Tony Stark - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Fluff, angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:33:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24549187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingforTheAvengers/pseuds/WritingforTheAvengers
Summary: The second you stepped out of the airport and took a deep breath, you knew it wasn’t a good idea to be back home. It smelled terrible, and the people around you didn’t seem really nice.
Relationships: Tony Stark & Reader, Tony Stark/Reader, tony stark x reader
Series: Love rain [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1575448
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	1. Rhodey's birthday

The second you stepped out of the airport and took a deep breath, you knew it wasn’t a good idea to be back home. It smelled terrible, and the people around you didn’t seem really nice. Well, Denmark wasn’t exactly the fairest contender, since people there gave everything they had to make you feel welcomed even if you didn’t manage the language at first—and up to this day, you struggled a lot with it.

It was Rhodey’s birthday in a couple of days and he was the one who contacted you. You didn’t know how, since you changed your identity and all that once tied you with the States or the Avengers. There were only two people you kept in touch with: Sharon Carter and Maria Hill. Not even Nick Fury. Your job offers were always done through Hill, and from what you knew, she didn’t have any contact with them. It must’ve been Sharon then.

You were unsure if to come or not. Come home, that’s what the message said. Rhodey wrote that he missed you, and your home missed you, and you were uncertain if he meant the city or… your old place with Tony. 

Tony.

It was not the first time you thought of him in these last three years. It wasn’t going to be the last either, considering he was going to be at the celebration. You weren’t ready for confrontation though. You weren’t exactly good at confronting people; you could remember the first time to spoke to Steve very vividly, and even if it ended very well, the beginning of it wasn’t what someone would call a comfortable situation.

You checked into your hotel room and started unpacking your stuff. Your phone started ringing and you picked up. The voice on the other side of the line made you smile widely.

“ _Hey, stranger_.”

“Hey, almost birthday man,” you chuckled. “How are you, Rhodey? Ready for the party?” You started pacing the room, which, unfortunately, wasn’t big enough to wander around.

“ _Yeah, actually I called to talk to you about it—_ ”

“Don’t tell me you cancelled it or that you moved to another city,” you sighed heavily. “Do I have to get into another plane? I’ve crossed an ocean for you, Rhodes,” you complained.

“ _No, silly,_ ” James laughed heartedly. “ _I’m calling to tell you I’m going to celebrate it at the Tower. The party is going strong, but we’re changing venue._ ”

“We?” You cocked an eyebrow.

“ _Yeah, Tony decided it was a better place. It’s bigger and there’s more space for alcohol than at my place._ ”

“That sounds actually convincing,” you nodded to yourself. “So, is there any dress code to go by, or something else than your gift that I need to carry with me?”

“ _You’re the first one to ask that, but I suppose any normal attire will be fine, and no, you don’t have to bring anything else than your present, even if your mere presence is the present. I really want you to be here, (Y/N), but I will understand if you don’t come and if you want us to meet in private._ ”

“Rhodes, I flew all the way here just for you—”

“ _Yeah but… Tony… You know he’s going to be here._ ”

“I know, but I know T’Challa will be there too, with Nakia and Okoye,” you threw yourself on the bed. “I’ve been doing a bit of undercover work at Wakanda, so we’re cool. The King’s sister has given me a lot of cool tech to play with, and he’s given me royal treatment whenever I have to be there… Besides I get to see some old friends,” you bit your bottom lip.

“ _I bet,_ ” Rhodey chuckled knowingly. “ _So, it means you’re coming?_ ”

“I’ll be there by 9, don’t worry. And you don’t need to send me the address. I should be able to remember the location of my former residence.” 

“Y _ou’re so weird sometimes, I swear to god,_ ” he said. “ _Okay, so be there._ ”

“I’ll call T’Challa to give me a ride. See you in a few days.”

“ _See you, bye._ ”

You stared at the ceiling a while more before you could bring yourself to text Okoye. You weren’t really ready to confront Tony, at least not in front of that many people, and even though they were once your family, it fell apart so abruptly that you didn’t have time to tell them things were fine and that you loved them.

Did you love Tony as well?

Loved him? As in past tense?

That was hard to tell. 

And before you could dwell on that thought some more, you texted Okoye to ask her if they could pick you up.

It was the last thing you did before sliding your pajamas and calling it off for the day. Jetlag had beaten you this time.


	2. Awkward reunion

Three days after you arrival, and once you were fairly well adapted to the new time zone, you were getting ready to be at Colonel Rhodes’s birthday party. The Wakandian trio agreed to pick you up on their way there and that helped you calm down because you were in good and safe company for at least another half an hour.

The tower was exactly as you remembered it, but the steps to the room where you usually got together felt different, longer, and the anxiety it was evoking in you was unbearable. You walked behind T’Challa and his most trusted women hyping and pepping yourself up.

“You got this,” you whispered to yourself, trying to believe it.

Tony was the first thing you saw, not even Rhodey, Barton or Romanoff. He was wearing the suit you loved, and the shirt you gave him for one of the first Christmas you spent together. Your heart skipped a few beats, and the sudden feel of longing hit you right in the face. He looked so good, so… so much better. He looked happier, and the words that Steve once told you came to mind.

The first time you two sat down to talk about your relationship and how it ended, Steve told you that it bugged him that it wasn’t him who was making you happy, and now you were feeling the same thing. Maybe it wasn’t Pepper, but you wanted to be the one making Tony happy, because he looked extremely well without you.

“(Y/N), hi,” Tony walked towards you among the crowd and kissed your cheek gently. “It’s so good to see you,” there was a soft smile spreading on his lips and you could’ve sworn your heart skipped a beat again. You were melting and drooling for him.

“Hey,” you smiled back. “It’s nice to see you,” you said, feeling and believing every word. “It’s been a while.”

“I know,” he nodded. “How are you?”

“I’m good. How are you? You look… better.”

“I’ve been alright, thanks,” he flashed another smile. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“That’d be great, thank you,” you tugged at your bottom lip.

“(Y/N)!” Rhodey called and to your surprise, he was standing in an upright position. “Tony, your zipper’s down man, come on,” he sighed in exasperation, making Tony look at down at his crotch, and for some reason, you looked at it too. “Made you both look, apparently,” he chuckled. You and Tony looked at each other and chuckled lightly, feeling deeply embarrassed “Well, now that the awkwardness between you is over, how are you, gorgeous? It’s been a while, and you’ve been a terrible friend. You haven’t called me.”

“I’m sorry,” you pouted. “It’s just that… after what happened, how things went down I wasn’t sure you’d want to hear from me,” you placed a hand on his shoulder. “Especially you…” you tugged at your bottom lip. “But I’m good, exile has suited me very well,” you joked, but Tony felt terrible uncomfortable with it. “I was just joking, Stark. Don’t worry too much,” you placed a hand on his bicep and gently squeezed it.

“Ooh,” Rhodey cooed in a sing-song-ish voice. “Tony’s been longing for some physical contact with you,” he teased. “Anyway, thanks for coming, I really missed you, and I’m sure Stark missed you too.”

“I would hope so,” you confessed. “Okay, so Tony is feeling awkward enough and so am I, so I’m gonna get a drink because I don’t think I can do this completely sober,” you smiled widely, feeling a sudden rush of confidence through your veins. “We’ll catch up later, guys,” you took a deep breath as you walked away, completely mortified.  
Okoye was at the bar, making herself a drink and you felt relieved that there was someone neutral to not talk about it. She was already grinning in a teasing manner at you.

“That went pretty well,” she mocked. “You look at bit red.”

“Shut up,” you exhaled sharply. “My knees are shaking, I’ve no idea what the hell was that,” you grabbed a bottle of mescal and felt tempted to drink from the bottle, but then you remembered you were in a social event and poured some in a glass instead. “I didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of Tony. Not sober, at least.”

“What’s going on with you two?”

“It’s the first time we see each other in like three or four years,” you sighed heavily, swirling the drink in your hand. “We broke up over the accords and…”

“Ouch,” she chimed in. “That cannot be good.”

“It wasn’t,” you gave your drink a sip. “It made me leave. I should’ve been accustomed to leaving cities for a guy, but I was not,” Okoye made a confused face. “I used to be with Steve too, and when we broke up I moved here from Washington D.C. It’s been a while from that, a long while, and Steve and I have worked things out. We’re.. friends now.”

“Just friends?” She cocked an eyebrow. “I know, I'm kidding," she chuckled. "Is there any men of this group you haven’t had a thing with?” She laughed. 

“He’s with Sharon now, and she’s like a sister to me. We didn’t grow up together, but her family and mine were around for many, many years. And no, my only victims were Steve and Tony. Willing victims, if I must say.”

Even though you tried to avoid Stark, it was hard. There weren’t so many people to talk to, and it was him who tried to get closer to you. You just wanted to spend some time with Rhodey, because deep inside, you knew you didn’t want to come back to New York in a very long time.


	3. The drive home

The party had slowly decayed and it was only you, Tony and Rhodes left. You promised T’Challa and the female warriors you’d get an Uber, because you were having a good time and they were leaving too early, and as you stayed, you realized the others were leaving too.

“You can stay here if you want to,” Tony kindly offered, hoping you would say yes. “I don’t have any of your clothes so you can sleep in, but I can get you one of my shirts or something.”

“No, I’ll get an Uber,” you grabbed your phone. You didn’t want to stay, especially when you didn’t know exactly what would happen. Tony seemed changed, but it was you who you didn’t trust enough. “Can you walk me downstairs when it arrives?”

“Tony, why don’t you go drop her at the hotel?” Rhodey asked; he was falling asleep, but still managed to take care of you. “I’d feel a lot calmer.”

“Yeah, me too,” Tony nodded in agreement. Tony was tired too, but tried to not show it, since he wanted to spend some time alone with you. “Come on, I’ll drive you. Get your things.”

“You must be tired,” you refused. “This thing will be here in like 20 minutes.”

“I really want to do it,” Tony insisted. “Please, let me.”

“Alright,” you sighed heavily, realizing there was no other choice. “Bye, Rhodey. I’ll come by your house in a couple of days so we can catch up more. I’ll bring something to eat, okay?”

“That’d be perfect,” he smiled widely and hugged you tightly in his arms. You sighed in relief for being again with your friends and family. “Thanks for coming, (Y/N), it meant a lot to me.”

“Thanks for inviting me. It’s really nice to be back home, at least for a while,” Rhodey cocked an eyebrow. “We’ll talk about that in private,” you chuckled softly.

Tony and you walked to the car in almost complete silence. He did ask you where you were going, just to have an idea, but you didn’t talk too much about anything else. You weren’t drunk enough to talk normally. You got to the car and Tony started driving. The soft roar from the engine was soothing and the car was at a really warm temperature to help you doze off.

“You look pretty tonight,” Tony commented as he stopped at the red light. “I mean—you’re always pretty, but…” he smiled sheepishly. “Maybe it’s because I haven’t seen you in so long.”

“You look good too,” you replied awkwardly, feeling a soft blush spread across your cheeks. “I meant it when I said you look better. You look healthier.”

“I’ve been kind of postponing it, but I finally started going to therapy as you suggested so many times,” you nodded silently. “It’s been a wild ride, but I’m getting better. It’s not been easy at all, and there are some days I’d very much like to quit, but I try to think about the good days, so I keep going.”

“That’s great news, Tony,” you smiled widely. “How long since you started?”

“About a year. I… I wasn’t my best self after you left. I—” he clicked his tongue—“I had a really hard time back then. Not my proudest moment, you know? I still have some awful days missing you, but they’re just sad now, not self-destructive.”

“Do you really wanna talk about what happened?” You cocked an eyebrow. “I mean, I’m slightly under the influence of alcohol, I might say something I won’t remember tomorrow, and then it’ll be on you.”

“I’ve been meaning to tell you something all night, but now that I’m alone with you I cannot say it. Seems silly, I’ve always been good at talking, not smart about it, but I could talk, and talk, and talk.”

“Tony, we’ve known each other for almost 10 years, nothing could be so bad,” you chuckled. “Besides, I’ve got nowhere to go if you mess up, you still have to give me a ride. There are no accords to sign now, so I guess it doesn’t get any worse than that,” you teased.

“I’ve missed you since you left. I wanted to follow when you, but I couldn’t. I just couldn’t move. The thought of you going back to Steve’s arms killed me, but deep inside I knew you were not going with him. I knew it was my fault that you left, but… pride got the best of me as usual. I thought I was doing the best but… I suppose it wasn’t.”

“You didn’t call, you didn’t text…” you shook your head. “I wished you had followed me to the car, that you grabbed my hand and made me turn around. I wished you would’ve kissed me and said things would be fine in the end… But a call would’ve been just fine.”

“What would I have said?” Tony’s eyebrows knit together in a questioning expression. “Is there anything you wanted me to say?”

“Anything, really,” you shrugged. “Anything that could let me know you still loved me.”

“Did you ever doubt it?”

“I guess not, but I was really hurt by what you did to me. I really didn’t feel loved back then, and I suppose I had some self-love left in me—that made not stay.”

“You mean signing the accords?”

“Betraying me,” you replied in a calmed voice. “Signing the accords was just the means, but we had that conversation a few times. In person, over the phone… but you didn’t listen. You knew exactly how I felt, and you went behind my back… Rhodey knew about the existence of that conversation and he came right away to warn us all, and even before that, we all knew reckoning day was coming, and even so…”

“You know, I think they’re not such a good idea now,” he chuckled softly. “I think you were right. All of you.”

“What’s done is done,” you replied shortly.

“Come on, (Y/N),” Tony pleaded. “There’s got to be something you want to tell me other than that.”

You took a deep breath. “You know what hurt me the most of all that happened when we broke up?” You asked. “Is that you acted just like Steve, and it hurt me just like that time, I think even more, and in the end, everything turned exactly like that too,” you shrugged without looking at him. “I thought you were different—that we were different, but I guess not. Tony, I think we can all agree that the accords ended up being bullshit, and that they are not even half of what was promised. You guys are paying the price for it and so am I, but I told you this might happen, and you didn’t even listen to me because you were so blinded by guilt. We went over that so many times, but at the first easy way out, you went along. It was black or white, there was no middle ground, and what you do—what we have done for so long is such a grey area that you cannot put it that way. I tried to talk some sense into you but it didn’t work. And it cost us both the things we loved.”

“I know—”

“Do you? Did you, Tony? Because at that time you seemed pretty sure to put everything at stake… Even me. I know you wanted to protect everyone, me included, but you cannot protect me all the time, I never asked you to. But you know how important is my job, and how much I like it. It’s been so since SHIELD, and you just…” you shrugged. “Looks like we’re here.”

“We’ve been here for a while now,” Tony teased. “I meant it when I said you look amazing,” Tony curled his lips into a soft smile. “Being without me suits you well.”

“It hasn’t always been like this,” you sighed. “When I first moved out of our place, I… I was going through a bit of self-destructive rush, but then Fury got ahold of me again and sent me away… I’ve been doing a lot of things,” you shrugged. “It’s nice to be busy, it helps me to keep my mind away from you, but it’s a whole lot nicer to be back home… Well, kind of. I suppose D.C was home too, but now… I don’t know what’s home anymore—where the heart is, but where is that?” You huffed. “It’s such a strange world, don’t you think?”

“How come?”

“Well, I’ve thought about this conversation a hundred times. I played it in my head, this exact moment… your car, you, me…” you looked at him with kind eyes. “It’s always the two of us, and I’m always thinking you’ll say the same one thing. But I know you too well to know you’ll never say it. At least you haven’t said it so far.”

“It’s been 3 years, (Y/N). Can’t I have changed a little?”

“Are you changed enough to say you’re sorry? It’s different from saying you were wrong,” you tugged at your bottom lip, and as he didn’t say anything, you shook your head lightly. “Yeah, didn’t think so. Thanks for the ride, though. I wasn’t really in the mood for staying with you tonight. Goodnight,” you grabbed the handle and opened the door. You got off quickly.


	4. It's been years after all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You weren’t sure why you had said yes without hesitating, it seemed as if you were still at his beck and call. But as you stepped out of your hotel and took the subway to meet him you started to regret it. You were completely sober, and it was the only way you could ever have this conversation, especially if it would decide the fate of your story with Tony Stark.

You decided to extend your stay for a couple of weeks since you had friends and graves to visit, and just when you had lost all hope on Tony, he called you to meet that exact same day. He asked you out to a nice restaurant you once went to when you were at the beginning of your relationship. You had good memories of it, and you hoped there would be some more.

You weren’t sure why you had said yes without hesitating, it seemed as if you were still at his beck and call. But as you stepped out of your hotel and took the subway to meet him you started to regret it. You were completely sober, and it was the only way you could ever have this conversation, especially if it would decide the fate of your story with Tony Stark.

The time that took you to the restaurant only made you miserable, because it was an excellent moment to relive all the good stuff that happened with him. There were so many, even through the sad times there was a way to find happiness. He made you incredibly happy, and there was no way to deny that. Even now, you could swear he could still make you happy. 

He welcomed you with a warm hug in which you could’ve stayed forever, and then he walked you to the table he had booked for the two of you. At first, all you had was small talk, and you realized you hadn’t got any better at it. He asked about what things you had done these last couple of days and if you had visited Rhodey to talk, but then Tony’s face changed drastically and you got scared.

“I feel like I have no reason or right to ask this,” he left his cutlery on the table and rested his back on the chair, “but is there someone in your life?”

“Wow,” you choked with the wine you were drinking. “I was not expecting that. No, there’s no one in my life.”

“What about Steve?”

“Why Steve?” You rolled your eyes. “Why do you have to ask about him or talk about him? When I left you asked about him too, even after I told you countless times I had nothing to do with him.”

“It just seems like a possibility to me,” Tony shrugged. “I always feared you’d leave me to go with him.”

“Tony…” you tugged at your bottom lip. “The way Steve and I broke up was so nasty, and it took me so long to actually forgive him that I could never be with him again. We’re great friends now, but we’re not the same friends we used to be. Besides, Steve got married to Sharon. He’s very much in love with her, and so is she. There’s some distance between us now, and we’re trying to build the bridge again, I suppose it’s for her. I mean it, Steve and I have been through enough to not be together ever again. We fell in love, fell out, and we forgave each other. We’re just friends—family now I guess.”

“I just thought…”

“You think too much sometimes, and you don’t get to the right conclusions. What about you? Any special lady with you?”

“Not physically at least. She doesn’t live here in the States…”

“Oh,” you couldn’t say anything more. Deep inside you wished Tony was still single, getting back together was a real possibility until a few seconds ago.

“I’m talking about you, silly,” he chuckled. “You don’t live in the States. You’ve always been my special lady. Even when I didn’t have you. I loved you, and god knows I still do, (Y/N).”

“I love you too,” you confessed before your brain could stop you. “Being without you has been terrible sometimes,” you shook your head. “I’m always on the verge of calling you, texting you… trying to know anything from you, but then I think you’ve moved on and I get a bit sad because I don’t think I have. I know I look like I have my shit together, but… truth is that if I’m not working, then I’m thinking about you, and that’s no way of living, Tony… So I need to know—”

“I’m sorry,” he chimed in a gloomy voice. “I know this apology comes in a little late, but I’ve been going over this with my doctor and Rhodey so many times and I still don’t know how to put it into words, but I suppose it’s just gut feeling, right? It’s always that,” he smiled quickly. “I’m sorry, (Y/N). I’m so sorry for putting you in danger. I’m sorry for making you feel betrayed and not loved, even when I loved you so much. I’m sorry for going behind your back. I’m sorry for breaking us up. I’m sorry for making you leave the country. But above all of this, I’m sorry for making you feel the same way you felt with Steve. We talked about it before, and we promised each other to not make the same mistakes, but I did the opposite and I hurt you… I never wanted to hurt you, because you’re the best thing that has happened to me in a very long time.”

Your eyes filled with tears when you heard the words you had waited for. You didn’t even know what to say, or even if you should say anything. You pursed your lips tightly and looked away. You thanked the dim lighting of the restaurant because you were not on your best look by then.

“You were wrong when you said I didn’t change,” he said in a soft voice, reaching out his hand to yours. “I have, and you haven’t been there to see it, but I know I have—Rhodey knows it too, and I wanted you to know it too. I know I should’ve called or something, but I know you needed time to heal, and I have no idea how much it really hurt you, but if you had to move across the ocean to be safe, I suppose it was a lot. I’m sorry for that, for all that happened between us. I never wanted things to end like this, but I’m learning—still learning…” he looked at you with worried eyes. “(Y/N), can you please say something?”

“This was not the apology I was expecting,” you shook your head. “Don’t get me wrong, the one I settled for in my mind was way less than this, so I guess you have changed, but…” you tugged at your bottom lip. “I don’t really know what to say—I never knew,” you stayed in silence a bit more. “Tony, do you mind if go? I really don’t think I can do this,” you collected your few belongings and hurried to leave.

Tony watched you leave again, but this time he was decided to not let you go. He got up right after you, grabbed your hand and made you turn. Your vision was blurry from the tears, but you knew he was in front of you, begging silently for you to not leave again.

“Tony, don’t make this harder please…”

“No, because I saw you leaving once, and I’m sure as hell not gonna let you go again,” he looked straight into your eyes. “There’s no way we can go back to how we were because we’re not the same people anymore, (Y/N). We’ve changed, we’ve grown—I’ve grown.”

“What if we’re too different now?”

“You said you loved me,” he pointed out, “that you still do. Love is all we both need—all we ever needed,” you sighed heavily. “Don’t even try to make up an excuse, (Y/N),” even after all these years he could still read you like a book, “we didn’t need an excuse to be together back then, we don’t need it now.”

“I don’t know if I can trust you again.”

“If you _can_ trust me or if you want to trust me?” Tony cocked an eyebrow. “Look, in the years we were together I never did anything to break your trust. Not a single thing, and you know that’s true. We started in honesty, there was nothing secret in between us. I know that I fucked up real bad, and it cost me everything I had, everything I worked for and I know it was the same for you, but after Loki, shit started happening because of me only. I shouldn’t have signed that crap, but here we are, alive and well after all… If you come back, I can promise you that you’ll be safe, even if you’re not with me…” Tony said softly. “I love you, (Y/N), and I don’t know how to make that sink in that stubborn head of yours,” you looked away, trying to hold back the tears, but Tony held your face in between his hands. “(Y/N), I don’t want to pick up where we left off, because we’re two different people now, but I want you to know that there is future with me. I’ve slowed down, the world has slowed down too… I just wanna be with you again, and that’s about it.”

“Start over?” You whispered.

“Yes, babe. Start over, make things right…”

“I wish I didn’t love you this much,” you chuckled in between sobs. “Otherwise, I would’ve just taken a plane back to my house… Oh, I’ve missed you so much, Stark,” you tugged at the collar of his vest and pulled him closer to press your lips against his. 

His kiss gave you a sense of home that if gave you warm chills all over your body. His arms wrapped around your waist, and if you hadn’t been at a public place, you would’ve made love right there, but he drove back to the tower to calm his hunger for you. 

You were everything he ever wanted, and all that he needed, and now that he had you in his arms, he would make sure to never hurt you again. It was hard, since he never really knew how to not break stuff; building suits was easy, building relationships with people not really. But with you it was easy, it’s like you had never left, and that you were still the couple from three years ago. 

You were writhing underneath him, calling his name and feeling exactly like home. It took you a minute to realize that Tony was your home. Your heart was with him, and you’d make sure it never left his side.

“I love you,” Tony panted, pressing his sweaty forehead against yours. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Stark,” you smiled tiredly, holding his face with your hands. “You up for another round?” You teased and Tony smiled wickedly.


	5. New beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had been about three years since you moved back to the States and began your life again with Tony. Things were better than ever, and now with a little bun in the oven, you were finally starting to slow down at work, probably forever.

It had been about three years since you moved back to the States and began your life again with Tony. Things were better than ever, and now with a little bun in the oven, you were finally starting to slow down at work, probably forever. Your advanced pregnancy called for a reunion in the shape of a baby shower. After Rhode’s birthday tree years ago, it was the first time that all of the members of the Avengers were together, including the ones from out of this world.

Steve and Sharon were the first ones to arrive, and then Sam, Bucky and Nat. Your relationship with Bucky had improved a lot in the last years, especially after what happened with the Accords and his flee to Wakanda, and yours as well. He knew everything about your relationship with Steve and the reasons why it ended, and so when he met you in person, the first thing he did was apologize to you; luckily, you were cool enough about that to let it pass and begin a real relationship with the former HYDRA soldier. 

When you were in Wakanda, he liked talking to you. At first it made you uncomfortable, but as time passed, you found in Bucky a shoulder to lean on and a friend to pick stuff from high cabinets. He was also very good at keeping secrets, and he was probably the first person to know you missed home and Tony. Now he was a very dear friend.

Now, with an 8-month bump, you couldn’t even think about the past and its wicked and twisted roads. Everything seemed so far away, like a lifetime ago—

“What are you thinking?” Tony fell on the couch next to you. “You look a lot more off today than this whole pregnancy—and that’s saying a lot,” he chuckled.

“I’m just trying to make a memory here,” you put your thumbs and index fingers into a frame shape and pointed it at the group that gathered around the presents and the tables with food. “It feels like a lifetime ago when we were trying to save New York from the aliens,” you tugged at your bottom lip. “This wasn’t a plan back then,” you placed a hand on your belly. “Neither was this,” you pointed at him and at you quickly. “Sometimes I get scared, you know… Like I’m not gonna be able to do this, that I’m gonna suck and this baby’s gonna hate me…”

“Well, the baby’s always gonna have daddy Stark if it hates you,” he chuckled softly, taking your hand in his and kissing it softly. “Look, if both our parents made us turn out alright, I’m sure we can do it. Let’s say Howard wasn’t the world’s greatest dad. But I’m sure your mom was a pretty good one. It looks like we were meant to be. I mean, they couldn’t, but we can.”

“They were at war,” you kindly reminded him. 

“So were we, so many times…” Tony shook his head. “This new century is not an easy thing either, but with you by my side I feel like I can do everything.”

“Who would’ve thought I’m loving the son of the man my mom loved so much,” you placed your free hand on his cheek. “I love you, Tony. I love you so much, and I’m so grateful that you’re in my life.”

“I should be the one that’s grateful for you. You turned my world around, and I’m so glad you did.”

“Hey, you two,” Nat called. “We’ve got a bunch of presents just for you,” she smiled widely. “If you don’t come now, we’re gonna start opening them right now.”

You took a deep breath and looked at Tony. “Help me get up?”

“Like you need to ask,” he chuckled. He grabbed your hands and pulled to make you stand up. You walked slowly toward the gathered Avengers to start opening the mountain of presents.

After revealing you were having a baby girl and having some more food, you headed outside to have a nice breath of fresh air, without noticing Steve was following you closely. The sun was setting, giving the sky a nice orangey pinky color. City lights were starting to lit up.

“Careful there,” Steve said.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” You looked at him from over your shoulder and smiled widely. “Shouldn’t you be back there with your wifey?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking that to you? It’s your party we’re celebrating,” he chuckled softly. “No, I just saw you coming here, and I thought I could come too,” he shrugged, standing right beside you. “It looks so peaceful here, who would think that years ago we were fighting aliens coming from the sky, right?”

“We had our first kiss after we beat the aliens,” you smiled softly. “Thanks for coming today, Steve. I mean—I knew Sharon was coming, but it does mean the world to me that you’re here.”

“I couldn’t miss this—besides Sharon would’ve given me hell if I wasn’t here,” he nodded absently. “You’re still one of the most important people in my life, (Y/N). You helped me get back, and whether it was part of your job or not, I will never not appreciate that,” he placed a soft hand on your shoulder. “What we’ve been through… You’re hard to forget,” you looked at him and cocked an eyebrow. “Not like that, silly. I’m a married man now.”

“I know, and I’m really happy to see you’re happy with Sharon. She’s a great one, and so are you. You deserve each other, and I’m just… I’m glad to still have you around,” you placed a hand on his arm and looked at him with kind eyes. “I…” your eyes started to get really teary. “Holy shit, these hormones,” you chuckled while wiping away the tears from under your eyes. “All I’m trying to say, is that I’m really glad you’re around, I love you, and I think I love you even more so with all we’ve been through,” you confessed in between sobs. “I really wanna stop being pregnant just to be able to say stuff without crying,” you chuckled. “I’m really glad you’re still in my life, and I hope it can be that way for a very long time.”

“As long as you want me,” Steve smiled kindly and kissed the top of your head. “Now let’s go back inside, Tony must be wondering what happened to you,” he placed an arm around your shoulders and took you back inside.


End file.
